Help Requested for New WalMart GSPs

[Tapiana]

Hello There -

I have been poking around the forums, the internet, the local Salt Water Fish store (Pacific Reef in CA) and any other areas that I can get information. I am sure you are all familiar with the story of the WalMart GSP - so I shall not burden you with my lack of research. However, now that I have the two little GSPs I would like to properly take care of them. I have researched and done the follow - but the information I find is confusing and seems to contridict itself - I am hoping for someone to "lay down the law" with guidelines that I can follow .

The Synopsis -

Purchased 2 GSP (about 1-1.25 inches each) from WalMart 3 weeks ago
Had in Freshwater tank until they started looking bad - then did research
Now have in tank with some salinty using Marine Salt (in purpleish box) I used .5 cup for 5 gals as I read in an article to raise SG .002 to transition them from FW to SBW (slightly brackish water) trouble is my SG reader thingy - doesn't seem to want to register the SG in the Tank.
PH levels seem ok - the hover around 6.6-7.0 I think according to the color strip on the PH detector (I go the one that you can leave in you tank and it is supposed ot change color every minute or so) I got a PH balancer from Pacific Reef - and put that into the tank - but now I am concerned that I messed up the PH
Water temp is between 78.8 -80. I have a thermometer and water heater so temp is about the only thing I have going for me right now
I feed them frozen bloodworms - they seem to like them frozen when I drop them into the tank cause the worm float and the GSPs kinda nibble at them - I have tried defrosting them and placing them in the tank - and they do not seem to eat as much.

So I have one GSP that sits at the bottom of the tank and looks very black and seems to be panting- which I gather he either has a parasite or is stressed (the fish guy at the fish store told me that the color is normal - they tend to change color to camaflogue themselves - but if that is the case wouldn't the other one do the same?)

I am concerned - my GSPs need help - I do not like the fact that they sit at the bottom of the tank all the time. What can I do - what should I be doing? Thanks a bunch for your help - we greatly appreciate it.

[Nick]

We need to know your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings to really know what's going on with the tank - ammonia or nitrites are the most likely things stressing the puffers. Messing with the PH overmuch is not recommended, as in increase the SG using the marine salt, the PH will gradually increase on it's own.

[Tapiana]

Hi Nick -

Unfortunatley, I do not know those readings for I have not tested them. What would you reccomend for testing - at the LFS they have an instant reader similar to the one I have for PH reading (Mardel Live pH Test Meter) the one that I saw for nitrates is the Mardel Live NH3 Ammonia Test Meter - but since it has Ammonia in the name I am not sure if that would work. Sorry that I seem ignorant - I failed CHEM 101 3 times . When it comes to the different ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and Marine stuff - I can do it, but I need it to be explained to me (again sorry about that).

2 other things that I should mention here:

1 I have a feeling that I need to add some more decor to the tank - I currently have only 2 fake plants in it - and upon investigation I should add some caves or something to "break the line of site". Could someone explain this to me - and offer some suggestions. Not to be picky - but I do not like the offerings of the LFS.

2 I am planning on doing a water change this Sat as the water has a yellowish tint to it - I know I should have done it sooner, however I have been out of town. As this is going to be my first water change - what do I need, how should I do it, and how can I minimize the stress to the GSPs. Thanks a bunch!

[Nick]

Live meters are an OK general warning system, but an API master test kit is an inexpensive option that can test everything and give the accurate results you want for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in a new tank. There's nothing complicated about it, the directions for each test explain how to do it.
More decor will help a lot. Try to fill out the entire tank with it. Breaking up lines of site means lots of decor that is the full height of the tank. If the puffers can just swim over something to see all around it, they will, and they won't have to do extra investigation.
With puffers, water changes should be 50% weekly. Make sure you use only slightly more salt than you used last time, and only add enough salt for the 50% of the water you change, not for the entire tank. To minimize stress, DON'T take them out of the tank for the water change, and move the gravel vacuum slowly until they get used to it. Btw, what size tank are they in now? A larger tank will dilute wastes and make the whole process easier on the puffers.

[Tapiana]

Hi There -

They are currently in a 5 gallon tank - which I know they will outgrow (how fast do these guys grow anyway?). It is an Aqua-Tech Hex 5 which I also just happened to pick up at Wal-Mart when I got the GSPs. I have plans to eventually move them to a 30 gallon tank (will this be large enough).

Decor - got it will do - any special decor that GSP seem to love more than others? i.e. colorful plants, wavy plants, plain rocks, rocks with plants on them etc?

Water change - what water should I use? Should I make life easy and use distilled or pre-treat some tap water (CA water is super nasty - I wouldn't even drink it, I used filtered water for the tank the first time around). Since I am planning a water change - should I wait to test the levels until after? Maybe I should test the water I am going to add first?

[Nick]

As one GSP needs at least 5 gallons per inch, I'd get that 30 gallon ASAP, or a 55 if you can find one - it would do for the pair for their full lives, and they're so popular you can find them very cheap on craigslist. You can use distilled or reverse osmosis water if you want, since you are going brackish, the marine mix will add plenty of trace elements. My GSPs are at full marine, they enjoy live rock, tufa rock, a big fake hollow log, some tall plants, and a big piece of driftwood.

[StormySkiez]

I agree w/ Nick. It would be best to upgrade to the largest size tank you can asap.

I may have missed this...have you cycled the tank? It sounds like the tank may not be cycled. If it is not cycled the gsp's will be poisoned from the nitrites and or ammonia very fast. As you know now 5g is way to small for 2 gsp's. I would start doing water changes today 50% at least. Sometimes WC's alone will help a fish feel better. You need to continue doing the water changes as often as possible until you know you have no ammonia or nitrite harming the gsp's.

You are not alone. Wal Mart sent me home w/ 2 baby gsp's and a 2 1/2g tank. I bought 3 tanks in 3 months to accomadate my new friends and did a lot of water changes and added bio spira to help cycle the tanks asap.

My gsp's love raw frozen defrosted (in tank water and fish vitamins) shrimp from the grocery store. I hand feed them so not to add waste to the tank. They also like freeze dried bloodworms, cooked snow crab and mussel (good for keeping their teeth trimmed).

Let us know how they are doing.

[Tapiana]

No - did not cycle tank as I was told that they were freshwater fish. I have heard about BioSpira - can it be added to the tank with the GSPs in it? I do not have another tank to move them into - or else I would let this one cycle and move them or vice versa.

I am going to try to clear space for a larger tank - we live in a one bedroom condo so there is not much room. Not to mention the two felines that like to view the fish - I need a place where they will not knock it over. So 55 gal is optimum, 30 gal is ok but tight for about the next year or so? Should I do the whole month long cycle on the new tank - or is there a way to speed up the process (but do it right?)

Shrimp from grocery store - about what size? My guys are little - really little maybe salad shrimp for starters? I wanted to get them on snails for their teeth - but I have had no success in finding some small enough (hench the frozen bloodworms - they nibble at it and I hope it wears their teeth down).

Thanks for all the help - we appreciate it!

[StormySkiez]

Yes, you have to have fish in the tank when you use bio spira for the cycle process to begin. It cost a lot of money and is a lot of work to set up a tank. With only a 20g difference you may want to go ahead and invest in the 55g tank. I put mine in a 10g for 1 month then into the 55g a month later when we found a good deal. $200.00 for whole tank set up and stand (without the decor). I had a lot of territoral issues after a month or so between my 2 gsp's so it was best for mine to be in the larger tank w/ a lot of decor. Very common gsp behavior. Gsp's grow slow. I think it can take up to 3 years to grow to full size. Mine have grown a bout 1/2 inch in 9 months. But with multiple gsp's they really need a large tank asap.

The crab legs would be fun for the gsp's to tear into for their teeth. Bloodworms will not do for keeping their teeth trimmed but it is a good variety of food for them. I believe salad shrimp are cooked? I use the raw stuff, medium tail on shrimp (more nutrious). I use the tail as a handle when I hand feed. Buy what ever size shrimp you want. They will not eat all the shrimp but you can save it in the fridge for the next couple of days for feeding.

[Pufferpunk]

I'd bump those WC up to 80%, 2x/day, until you upgrade--ASAP. Read the article again in our Library on GSPs & also Fishless Cycling & Feeding.

[Tapiana]

Hello There -

I keep the GSP posting handy - at work, home so that I can reference . I admit that I paniced a bit - that is probably half my issue. I had them in the freshwater tank - and they looked kinda bad so I started to do some research - and found the article. Since the fish were in the freshwater for a week - I decided to raise the the SG .002 to try to acclimate them and then maybe they would "feel better". So I added a 1/3 cup of Marine Salt to tank - then I realized I needed the hydrometer to read the SG level - went to LFS to get that and to see if they had snails. LFS told me that I had put in way too much Marine Salt and that I needed to empty out 1/2 the tank and replace with fresh water since my pH level was around 6.6-7.0. Went home and did that - and my hydrometer doesn't seem to work. I am hoping that the 80% WC will help them out - however I am concerned about the SG. I have no idea what it is - so I am scared to change the water (which I know I need to do) because I do not want to stress them out with all the salinity changes. *Deep Breath* Ok - no prob. 80% H2O changes, larger tank, more decor, Bio Spira, shrimpies, snailies, (a small loan) and all should be well.

Should I just go for it and change the water now - or should I get the water tested first?

Again - thank you thank you thank you!

[StormySkiez]

Do the WC asap because we know the tank is not cycled.

[Pufferpunk]

Does your hydrometer start at 1.000? I wouldn't add any salt until you get the tank cycled.

[Tapiana]

Well -

I went home to do the WC and I found that my poor little GSP (the one that I was really concerned about) went to the big reef in the sky . The other one seems to be doing fine - he was always "the stronger one" his tummy is white - he swims around and seems quite happy. Now I have a serious case of guilt - if I had gotten their water right sooner maybe he would still be with us. I am determined to do all that I can to save my other one - I am on a mission!

So here is what I did:

Went to LFS - they did not have the BioSpira in stock - they were familiar with it though and said to use Cycle which will help. I also got a nice "reef" to put in the tank - I am concerned that it may be too big. It takes up most of the tank - leaving about 1.5" around the perimeter of the reef for GSP to swim and goes all the way to the top poking out of the water like a little island. The "reef" is hollow with many "caves"/"holes" for him to swim in and out of and explore. It is covered with "coral" and "fauna". He seems to really like it though.

I did the WC - since I had to put in the "reef", I had to remove some of the rock on the bottom - so I had to remove the GSP. I lowered a container into the tank w/food at the bottom - when he swam in I covered it and took it out. I then changed out 3 gallons of water for distilled water/with Cycle. Turned the heater and pump back on - let it warm up then put the GSP back in.

I was thinking of letting it "cycle" for today - take some readings of the water and do another WC tomorrow - what do you think? Also - will my GSP be ok alone or should I get another GSP (but not from WalMart).

[Nick]

Your GSP will be fine alone, they're not the type to get lonely. Cycle isn't the same as biospira, I haven't ever noticed it to do anything. The huge reef thing is probably a good decoration, IF he's willing to go into the caves and stuff. There is no need to remove your puffer for water changes. Being stuck in a tiny cup is way scarier than just letting him learn to deal with the water change.